Much consternation over Big Red, Anderson Center

Dear Council President Tibbott (Mayor Rosen and Directors Cc’d, City Attorney Cates Cc’d, Council BCc’d):

As of right now, I count approximately 700 emails in my inbox regarding the proposed comp plan amendments to sell off Hummingbird Park and the Frances Anderson Center.

I estimate that I have over 200 emails in my inbox regarding the fate of a tree known as “Big Red,” which is presently being cut down, dating back to February 2024.

To harken back to my comments regarding the proposed comp plan amendment process from last week, I find that this attempt to bypass the extensive public process our city government began in 2023 – to ensure appropriate public notice and community engagement of all proposals for the 10 year Comp Plan Update – to be a questionable use of staff time and City resources.

I think that it would be a more appropriate use of our limited staff time and resources in the Planning Department, especially during this time of fiscal emergency and extensive layoffs, to address the long-delayed tree code updates.

The delay of which, since our urban forest manager left the City in 2023, is presently causing considerable consternation in our community.

For this reason, I intend to abstain from all votes related to preferences for a comp plan amendment study process and instead encourage my colleagues to address the need to devote limited staff time and City resources towards bringing forward the long-delayed and much-anticipated tree code updates.

Jenna Nand
Edmonds City Council